But we can only see three of these visible colours: red, blue, green. These three colours are mixed in our brain to create all of the other colours we see.

Colour Affects Us

Colour affects our moods. For example, blue is calm, red is aggressive, pink suppresses anger and anxiety, bright yellow is the most irritating colour because of its excessive stimulation on the eye. Colours also affect consumers.

According to Sally Augustin in an article in Psychology Today, research has shown the “powers” of particular colours.

She writes about five colours:

“Green: Seeing the colour green has been linked to more creative thinking—so greens are good options for home offices, art studios, etc.

Red: People seeing others in front of red backgrounds generally find those other individuals are more attractive than when they see them silhouetted against other colours, so reds are great for a bedroom wall. Having a red surface in view also gives us a burst of strength, so reds are good choices for home gym areas, etc. Seeing red has been linked to impaired analytical reasoning, though, making it a bad option for offices.

Violet: People link a greyish violet with sophistication, so it can be a good selection for places where you’re trying to make the “right” impression.

Yellow: Using yellow in a home can be problematic. Many people dislike the colour, so if you have a lot of yellow rooms in your home or a yellow front door, you may be advised to repaint to get the best price for your home should you sell. An exception: Many people use yellow in kitchens—with no negative sales repercussions. Yellow may be accepted in kitchens because warm colours stimulate our appetite.

Blue: People are more likely to tell you that blue is their favourite colour than any other shade. That makes it a safe choice. Seeing blue also brings thoughts of trustworthiness to mind; always a good thing.”

Writing Tips

A character who lives in a colourful home is very different to one who lives in a monochromatic home. The use of colour can help you to show who the characters are.

This article has 2 comments

Great post, I especially loved the idea you mentioned of a colour blind character, something I never considered before – that would make an interesting disability to write about. The one thing I’d be afraid of is getting too carried away with colours and mentioning something that would pull the reader out of the book, wondering ‘What color is that?’